The Pelican Brief Movie Review

The Pelican Brief (1993)

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Written by: John Grisham (book), Alan J. Pakula (screenplay)
Directed by: Alan J. Pakula
Starring: Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard, Tony Goldwyn, James B. Sikking, William Atherton, Robert Culp, Stanley Tucci, Hume Cronyn, John Lithgow
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
After writing a legal brief, law student Darby Shaw uncovers a conspiracy extending to the highest levels of government, putting herself and others in danger.

Verdict
It's a serviceable thriller, but what sets this apart and begins the events is a report written for fun by a student. As unlikely as it seems, this document creates a chain reaction of deaths to cover it up and eliminate anyone that knows about it. That's the interesting part about this movie. Everything else is rather typical as Darby must flee while trying to get the evidence to prove her assertion and in turn save her life. This builds around a unique idea, but it doesn't add anything nearly as interesting. While it's easy to ignore the unseen villain, he really does have an absolutely bonkers plan.
Skip it.

Review
This marks the second film based on a John Grisham novel, following The Firm (1993).

Law student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) begins researching who might have motive to kill two supreme court justices recently found dead. It's theoretical, but Callahan (Sam Shepard), her professor with whom she's romantically involved, shows it to his special counsel friend at the FBI. That's what kicks this into motion. All of the governmental agencies get this report. While amateur, they're concerned about how close she is to the truth.This report reaches the President as he's also implicated. The President wants this taken care of, stating the CIA isn't subtle enough. Darby has no idea what this report has generated as her report was just an exercise.

Julia Roberts plays Darby Shaw

When she watches her boyfriend's car blow up after it has trouble starting, she and we realize the trouble she's in. The rest of the movie is one long chase as assassin's constantly pursue. Who she  thought was a cop at the bombing scene turns out to be a fake, and then she's attacked at her hotel. Frightened, Darby reaches out to Callahan's contact. He's also killed, and then an assassins posing as him attempts to get Darby. That fails, causing Darby to then contact reporter Grantham (Denzel Washington). Initially skeptical, he's able to confirm her story. He knows there's something to this despite the loose connections. He commits to pursuing the story despite his boss pressuring him not to.

Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington play Darby Shaw, Gray Grantham

Something Darby did for run related to class puts her life in danger. It's nearly a ridiculous premise, and her only hope is to find the truth in an effort to save herself and expose the villain at the core of the story. That's Mattiece. He's a wealthy donor to the President, tied up in a court case involving drilling for oil in a Florida marshland that houses endangered pelicans. This guy is so evil he murders judges so the verdict will go his way, and yet we never see him. He gets this brief and kills everyone that knows about it. With how efficiently he kills everyone else, I do wonder why he can't get to a college student.

Darby and Grantham manage to find corroborating evidence from yet someone else Mattiece had killed. Once Grantham publishes his story in the paper, Mattiece's hands are tied. Murdering half a dozen people isn't high profile enough, but the power of the newspaper stops him.